Daily Bloom: August 2014

每日破土 從今天開始將由不同的成員發表對時事的評論及意見,不只提供資訊,更提供他們從個人角度出發的思考,歡迎大家踴躍追蹤與分享。

Daily Bloom is now featuring members of New Bloom commenting the news everyday. Not only provide information, we also want to provide the thoughts from our own perspective. Please like or share if you like it.

August 4, 2014

高雄的氣爆案發生之後,從地方到中央都檢討著誰應該負責任,同時埋在高雄市區地下錯綜複雜的管線問題也因此浮出檯面。政府理應公布管線的配置情形,包括可能的風險等等,讓市民有知得權利,法國(http://ppt.cc/Stzy)和美國(http://goo.gl/gRDW5P)皆有公布管線分布的資料庫,我國政府卻因為「涉及國家安全」(http://goo.gl/T9FuFl)等原因拒絕公布。

人民有權利知道這些與民生安全相關的重要資訊,雖然管線的分布錯綜複雜,責任機關也不同,但政府應該做好整合的角色,才不會讓人民活在未知的恐懼之中。

After the explosion happened, government from local to central began to argue about who was responsible for the accident. Also, the problem about the underground line appeared after the incident, the citizens have the right to know how the pipeline was settled, and its potential threat. There’s open database of the pipeline in the states and in France, but our government refused to open up this information in the name of national security.

People have the right to know these information. Though the distribution of the underground line is really complicated and have different accountability unit, the government should aggregate these information, to prevent people from living in fear.

(Tyng 是目前在台灣唸書的醫學生,關心台灣歷史文化、醫師勞動權益等問題。)

August 5, 2014

監察院要求國安會說明金溥聰違憲爭議

國安會祕書長金溥聰(普遍被視為馬英九的政治執行者),持續拜訪其管轄權以外的政府機構,其行為已觸及違憲。根據國家安全會議組織法,國安會以總統為主席,僅作為總統諮詢重要政策的內部性機構,對外應無獨立行政的功能。日前受林憲同律師要求調查的申請,監察院表示將致函國安會要求聲明。

國安會秘書長視察情治單位,不論於法理上或倫理上都不適宜。於法理上破壞憲政體制且踰越行政組織應有的權限;於政治倫理上,國家行為的合理性來源於預先設定的法律原則,而過度的權力行為即是以政黨政治干擾情治單位,破壞行政中立等原則。

Control Yuan request NSC to explain the controversy over King Pu-tsung

National Security Council (NSC) Secretary-General King Pu-tsung, popularly seen as Ma Ying-Jeou’s political enforcer, continues to visits to government bureaus outside of his jurisdiction. This behavior has been suspected to violate the Constitution. According to the Organic Act of the National Security Council, the NSC is only the advisory body with the president acting as the chairman, and provide suggestion to the president on important policy. Therefore, it’s an “internal” institution rather than an “external” institution, and shouldn’t have externally administrative function. In response to the application of investigation which filed by Ling Hsien-tung the lawyer a few days ago, Control Yuan claimed to request NSC to explain the controversy over King Pu-tsung.

It’s not legally and ethically appropriate for NSC Secretary-General to visit intelligence units. With regard to the law, it sabotage the Constitutional regime, and go beyond the jurisdiction of this institution.With regard to the political ethics, the rationality on the acts of state is based on legal principle. The abuse of authority means that political party interferes in intelligence units, and break the principle of administrative neutrality.

(聞遠志 是目前在台灣唸書的醫學生,關心偏鄉醫療等議題。)

August 6, 2014

Japan’s annual defense white paper adopted by Shinzo Abe and his cabinet criticizes China’s “dangerous acts” as possible threat which could lead to conflict in the East Asian region. The paper criticized Beijing’s establishment of an ADIZ (Air Defense Identification Zone) last year and territorial tensions over conflicting claims to the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands.

While Taiwan also claims the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands, which are very close to Taiwan geographically, Taiwan and Japan signed an agreement in April of last year which allows fishermen from both countries to fish in territory surrounding the Senkaku/Diaoyu Island, probably a sign of growing closer relations between Taiwan and Japan in order to counter growing Chinese power. As President Obama recently cited in an interview with the Economist the need of carrying out a firmer stance towards China, and possible presidential candidate and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has stated that Taiwan need beware of closer ties with China, this raises the possibility of alliance between Japan and Taiwan broadly under American auspices to counter Chinese power, although South Korea, previously under the orbit of American power in East Asia, would appear to be becoming closer to China.

Whereas Japan’s recent repeal of Article 9 of their Constitution, broadly forbidding the waging of war, came at the hands of the Japanese right-wing, one can also point to increasing anti-Korean sentiment among Japanese right wing political elements, as evidenced in increasing anti-Korean protests in areas with high Korean populations in Japanese urban areas. So, then, does geopolitical alignments in the East Asian region seem to be shifting.

日本年度國防白皮書批判中國在東亞地區的諸多「危險行為」可能引起區域衝突。該報告所批評的,正是中國去年劃定的航空識別區(ADIZ, Air Defense Identification Zone)與對釣魚台的主權宣稱。僅管台灣也宣稱對釣魚台擁有主權,但去年四月台灣與日本簽訂協議,允許兩國漁民共同於此海域作業,這可視為台日雙方對日益增長的中國力量的抵制。歐巴馬在最近接受經濟學人雜誌的訪問談話中,對中國採較強硬的立場,而希拉蕊也提醒台灣與中國保持距離,這些都讓台日更廣泛的合作防範中國勢力更加的可能。然而,明顯是屬於美國在東亞勢力範圍裡的南韓,卻與中國走得更近了。

(Brian Hioe is a freelancer currently based in Taipei, he will be starting an M.A. in East Asian Languages and Culture at Columbia University in Fall 2014.)

August 7, 2014

華隆自救會赴勞動部夜宿等待回應

自7/30華隆自救會與立委共同召開記者會,要求勞動部在十天內回覆將退休金、資遣費納入積欠工資墊償範圍之勞基法28條修改進度,並專案處理大園廠拍賣所得執行分配,但十天即將過去,勞動部仍未有任何具體回應,因此華隆自救會將夜宿勞動部等待回應。

勞基法在台灣頒布實施已三十年,但這部勞基法對台灣勞工權益的保障卻薄如蟬翼。華隆大園廠的拍賣所得共24.3億,但被積欠退休金的勞工平均每人卻僅能分得2200元,甚至就連華隆集團旗下的人頭子公司都可以拿回100%的債權250萬。這樣一部形同虛設的勞基法與勞工困境,亟待行政部門盡快修法與解決。

(Shane Hu 目前是全職的家庭主夫,旅居美國但關心台灣社會的不公不義)

August 8, 2014

加薩戰爭的72小時停戰合約在格林威治標準時間的星期五早上五點到期。哈馬斯要求以色列拆除環繞加薩走廊長達八年的以色列-埃及封鎖屏障,以及釋放一百名被以色列政府壓扣的巴勒斯坦囚犯。若不達到這兩項要求,哈馬斯宣稱將立刻重啓武力攻擊。

以色列官方表示願意延長停戰合約,但是宣稱哈馬斯拒絕了他們所提出的一個新的條件。而哈馬斯無法成功延長停戰,造成巴勒斯坦人民的不滿。

以色列曾經在2010年和2012年兩次將加薩走廊的封鎖線放寬,減低對食物和建材進口的限制。但是這條封鎖線仍是嚴重地影響着巴勒斯坦居民進出和運輸物品的自由。事實上,聯合國的人權政務會認為這條封鎖線是違反國際法的。

當然,即使是延長停戰合約或者再次放寬封鎖線的限制,也無法真正解決巴勒斯坦的困境和傷害。這場戰爭到目前為止,已經將近有1,900巴勒斯坦人死亡,還有67民以色列人。五十多萬的巴勒斯坦人民被迫從加薩走廊驅逐流亡。而曾經在火箭彈攻擊下的以色列南端,已經可以再次看見小孩在街上玩耍。

The 72-hour ceasefire of the Gaza war that expires at 5am GMT on Friday has not been a peaceful one. Hamas has demanded that the 8-year Israeli-Egyptian blockade of Gaza to be lifted and 100 Palestinian prisoners to be released from the Israeli state, otherwise, they will restart the military immediately after the ceasefire.

The Israeli officials say that they are willing to extend the ceasefire but Hamas has rejected a new offer from them. Hamas’ failure to secure the ceasefire raised their unpopularity among the Palestinians.

Israel made concessions on the blockade once in 2010 and another time in 2012, easing restrictions on food imports and construction materials. However, the blockade still severely constrains Palestinians’ freedom of movement and transportation of goods. In fact, the UN Human Rights Council has considered that the blockade illegal under international laws.

Obviously, neither the ceasefire nor merely easing a little more restrictions by the blockage on the Gaza Strip is enough to cure the damages on the Palestinians. By now, nearly 1,900 Palestinians have died along with 67s during the current conflict. About a half-million civilians have also been displaced from Gaza by a month of military warfare. Meanwhile, in southern Israel, which had previously under the rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, were filled with playing children in the streets again.

(Wen Liu is a doctoral candidate in Social Psychology at City University of New York. She is also a published novelist and freelance writer on the issues of sexuality, queer culture, and politics in Asia and the US.)

August 9, 2014

This week in China former Politburo Standing Committee member, Zhou Yongkang was placed under formal investigation for corruption. At the heights of his power, Zhou commanded his own political faction entrenched in China’s lucrative and corrupt oil industry and is rumored to have conspired with Bo Xilai, another fallen “tiger,” to bring down Xi. Observers widely suspected the former official, famous for his burly physique and taciturn demeanor, would meet some grim ending after he disappeared from public view last fall.

本週中共前政治局常委、政法委書記周永康因涉嫌貪污而受到調查。身為中國石油政商貪污集團的頭子,周永康也涉嫌與薄熙來聯手拉下習近平政權,評論家懷疑自從去年秋天他自公共場合消失後,可能已經遭遇不測。

In a country, where legality and illegality are formalistic coatings to the will of reigning interests, and where, accordingly, being investigated is tantamount to being guilty, it’s all but certain that the Zhou will indeed soon meet his faith as another casualty in China’s brutal game of power.

在這個合法非法只取決於是否符合統治者利益,而且被調查就等於有罪的國家,幾乎可以確定這個以魁武的身型和行事低調聞名的中共官員,即將成為中國殘酷的權利遊戲中的另外一個犧牲者。

Yet more remarkable than the fall of the “tiger” itself is the choreographed effort to normalize and make obvious Zhou’s crime. After the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection announced its inquiry, the state controlled media swooped in to expound on Zhou’s errors—understandably so, since the nature of Zhou’s transgressions seem less a statement on the man himself than the system in which he heretofore thrived. Zhou’s rot, thus, needed maximum dramatization, lest the public decides one rotten apple is no different than the batch from which it was plucked. But it was not just state organs, but society itself—from talk shows and weibo discussions—that followed the provided script. Soon Zhou was synonymous with all things evil.

比周永康衰落本身更精彩的是他被定罪的過程,在中共中央紀律檢查委員會決定對他立案調查之後,央視開始不斷播送周永康的惡行,他的違逆本質上是出自於個人,而非因為這個養育他的系統。周永康的腐敗必須被戲劇化的誇大,否則人民就只會覺得這只是一堆爛蘋果中的一顆罷了。不只國家機器,連社會本身,包括脫口秀和微博的討論,都照著這個劇本進行,很快的周永康這三個字就會等於邪惡。

In Taiwan, Zhou’s fall recalls memories of Ma Ying-jieo’s failed attempts to purge President of the Lifa Yuan Wang Jin-pyng. Unlike China, Taiwan’s independent judiciary retains some vigor, and politically motivated purges are not yet the law of the land. In comparison to Zhou’s demise, Ma’s attempt at a veiled purge looks hapless, even sad.

在台灣,周永康的落敗讓我們想到馬王政爭。跟中國不同,台灣仍然有良好的司法獨立性,並且政治鬥爭還無法凌駕於法律之上。比起周永康,馬英九的鬥爭看起來是不幸運、甚至悲哀的。

China is obviously better off with one less corrupt apparatchik and even better off with one less man like Zhou, who’s raw taste for power was sizable. Still, it’s a telling indictment on a system that even with the fall of a man like Zhou, justice still rings flat.

當然的中國如果能有更清廉的政府官員是件好事,但為了政治鬥爭如此操縱司法,正義仍很難被真的伸張。

(Lorand Laskai (雷洛然)is a writer living in Beijing and recent graduate of Swarthmore College. He previously lived in Tainan, Taiwan.)

August 10, 2014

今天(8/10, Sun)是中元普渡,在街道巷弄中會看到家家戶戶在拜好兄弟,以祈求平安的後半年。但有些牛鬼蛇神並不是罐頭餅乾就能賄賂打發的,恐怖的是,在食衣住行育樂皆能看到這些魔神仔們的蹤跡。

Today(8/10, Sun) is Chungyuan festival. You can see people make sacrifices of rich dishes to sate ghosts’ appetites in Tainan. However some monsters and freaks are not bribable by cans and cookies. They function as usual in all the dimension of life.

August 11, 2014

g0v.tw 台灣零時政府 釋出新專案「全國重度級急救責任醫院急診即時訊息」,只需點擊進入該網頁,全台灣各大醫院的急診等候推床、等待住院、等待加護病房人數等公開資訊就會以圖表的方式完整呈現。有感於高雄氣爆事件發生時急救系統的資訊紛雜,g0v專案發起人Tom Shih整合了每家醫院的資訊,讓民眾得以快速獲得相關訊息。

開放政府的觀念在台灣蓬勃的發展,318學運時更是大放異彩,利用民間的力量快速、即時的反應需求,改造社會,彌補了許多政府的不足及失能。

g0v just released a project about the instant information database of emergency medical services. You can access the number of the patient waiting and the number of vacant beds of every big hospital in Taiwan just in one click. Inspired by the disorder of the information during the gas explosion in Gaosiung, the creator of the project, Tom Shih, aggregated the information of each hospital in an info graphic, letting people to get the information more easily and rapidly.

The concept of open government has flourished in Taiwan, especially in the 318 moment. Using citizen’s power, we can react quickly and instantly to the needs, and further reform the society.

(Tyng 是目前在台灣唸書的醫學生,關心台灣歷史文化、醫師勞動權益等問題。)

August 13, 2014

Shen Lyushun, ROC representative to the United States, publicly expresses Taiwan’s interest in joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement. As he stated, of the countries currently involved, Taiwan would be the sixth largest economy if added. Shen cited Taiwan’s lack of international trade agreements as a factor for the need to sign the trade agreement, which would also indicate closer ties with the US if signed.

Shen stated that American support would be of necessity in an era in which Taiwan’s need to engage in developing with China is ever-present. The TPP has been controversial because of its potential to benefit big business and serve as a tool for American economic influence abroad, and it would remain to be seen what China’s response to Taiwan being added to the TPP would be. Apart from China’s efforts at signing a free trade agreement with Taiwan and the urging of business interests that Taiwan do so, most recently in a Wall Street Journal editorial, others stress China’s own attempts at creating a free trade area in the Asian region as a way to expand its influence overseas.

沈呂巡說台灣會有興趣加入「Trans-Pacific Partnership」(TPP)自由貿易協定,說如果台灣加入會是第六最大經濟的國家,然後台灣簽的自由貿易協定不夠。如果台灣簽的話會代表台灣和美國比較接近,可能需要因為中國大陸和台灣的關係,但是也有人批判「TPP」因為是一種方法讓美國透過經濟來影響別的國家,再加上如果台灣加入大陸會有反應。最近在「Wall Street Journal」的社論爭論推出台灣和大陸必須簽自由貿易協定,不過大陸有在亞洲創造自由貿易區才可以透過經濟來影響別的國家。

(Brian Hioe is a freelancer currently based in Taipei, he will be starting an M.A. in East Asian Languages and Culture at Columbia University in Fall 2014.)

August 14, 2014

淡江大學中國籍學生蔡博藝參選學生會會長引起爭議。反對者並非針對蔡博藝個人,而是對其中國籍身份表示疑慮,認為此例一開,未來難以應付中國的滲透與統戰。而支持者則是以民主參與及平等參政等人權觀點來思考。

馬英九執政以來,兩岸互動遽增,無論是官方或民間、經貿或文化學術,雙方的交流都越來越頻繁。這也使得台灣人,無論是否抱持台獨理念,都必須好好思考要以何種立場與態度,面對這些來自不同背景、懷著不同目標,而非只有單一面貌的「異質的中國人」。

Boyi Tsai comes from China, and currently studies at Tamkang University in Taiwan. Now there is a debate of her running in an election of the chairman of student association of Tamkang University. This debate is not aim on her personal; it is mainly about her Chinese nationality.

After Ma becomes the president, interactions between Taiwan and China is dramatically increasing, both official and non-official, economic and cultural. This change forces Taiwanese people to consider their attitude and stance of cross-strait communication they need to take. Taiwanese people now have to face people from China, who come from different historical/cultural backgrounds and have different purposes. Now it may be a good time for Taiwanese people to think how to deal with heterogeneous Chinese people.

(Shane Hu 目前是全職的家庭主夫,旅居美國但關心台灣社會的不公不義)

August 15, 2014

美國境內也是軍閥之地

上週六的八月九日下午,在美國密蘇里州的佛格森鎮,一名十八歲的非裔美國男性Michael Brown,被一名白人刑警射殺身亡。事發時Brown沒有攜帶任何武器,刑警在開槍前也並沒有告知Brown。在隔日的記者會上,聖路易斯的警察局長表明Brown在與刑警的爭鬥中,試圖觸及刑警的配槍,以辯解刑警的行為。

這次的槍殺,明顯是啟用了極端武力的種族歧視警察暴力。Brown的死亡引發了全美國各大城市的自發性集會抗爭和燭光祈福,向美國政府要求給予Brown的正義。佛格森,一個多數是非裔美國居民的城鎮,累積了多年與白人為主警力的不信任感和種族問題,因為這次的事件引起居民大規模的暴動。

政府命令軍隊等級的武力前往佛格森驅散人潮,許多居民被催淚瓦斯和橡皮子彈攻擊受傷。從上週二開始,佛格森已被密蘇里州政府啟動為禁飛區。人民對於此次槍擊事件的憤怒和不滿持續地散佈於社群網路和美國街頭之上。

The US is a racially segregated military state.

An 18-year-old African American man, Michael Brown, was shot to death by a White police officer on a street in Ferguson, Missouri, last Saturday, August 9th. Brown was unarmed, and the policeman did not identify him before opening fire. At the press conference in the next morning, the St. Louis Police Department countered the event by saying that Brown attempted to reach for the policeman’s gun during a struggle between them to justify the shootings.

This apparent racist police violence with disproportionally force has instigated spontaneous protests and candle light vigils that demand justice for Brown all over the country. In Ferguson, where there is a long history of distrust between the predominately Black community and the white police force, riots have been happening.

Militia has been called to disperse the crowds in St. Louis. Tear gas and rubber bullets were ordered and harmed many civilians. Since last Tuesday, the government has ordered Ferguson to be a no-fly zone. Outrage against the shooting continues to be present online and in the streets of the US.

(Wen Liu is a doctoral candidate in Social Psychology at the Graduate Center, City University of New York. She is also a freelance writer on sexuality and politics in the US and Asia.)

August 18, 2014

第36屆威廉瓊斯盃(主席為丁守中)男子冠軍戰於天母北市大體育館開打,由地主中華(?)對上南韓,座無虛席。表現最優異的為隊長戴維斯以及奮戰不懈,全場有4次抄截的劉錚,不過最後也因為劉錚最後關鍵5罰有4球沒進而錯失逆轉的機會。

The Men’s final of 36th William Jones’ Cup International Tournament was hold in gymnasium of University of Taipei. Chinese Taipei(?) v.s. South Korea. Captain Davis and flying Liu Jheng play best. Liu Jheng had 4 steals, however, in the key point he also missed 4 free throws. Due to those important miss, Taiwan fail the game in the end.

賽後不負責球評表示,基本功不扎實是全隊輸球的原因,中華隊(?)的罰球也許和大學隊伍相同是在練球最後才練,沒有投完就要趕場,反正亞軍不也風光!?

irresponsible commentator says that the main reason of lose the game is our not-well-founded basic training. Maybe they train their free throws as most university basketball team – in the end of the training. Maybe they are rush in practice, because they need to go other place. However the second place is also respectable, isn’t it?

(郭凌峰 The last Wild Strawberry participator in Freedom Plaza, a researcher of consciousness, free will and schizophrenia at Taipei Veterans General Hospital, and an active anarchist in Nankan, Taiwan.)

August 20, 2014

From both American and Taiwanese perspectives, many have looked to Hillary Clinton to offer potential salvation. For Americans, a potential presidential by Hillary Clinton run offers the chances for a high-profile presidential candidate with a strong chance of winning a presidential election, whereas Republicans currently do not have any clear candidate. For Taiwanese, many are clinging to the hopes that United States will take a stronger foreign policy stand on Taiwan on the basis of comments by Clinton that Taiwan must be wary of China. And it helps for the “progressive” politically minded in Taiwan that Hillary would, in theory, represent a more progressive political alternative to a Republican presidency even when Republicans have historically more supportive of Taiwan regarding China.

Nevertheless, what Taiwanese and Americans alike must beware of is pinning Messianic hopes on Hillary. Hillary will not come down from the heavens and rescue Taiwan from China, on the contrary, a more aggressive American foreign policy towards China inclusive of Taiwan might merely draw Taiwan into geopolitical turns that ultimately prove destabilizing to regional security in the East Asian region given Clinton’s history of hawkishness. Neither is one to bank one’s political hopes on comments which may not indicate the actual direction American policy takes, the certainty of a presidential run by Clinton is not yet clear, and the so-called “progressive” alternative is not always genuinely progressive.

從美國跟台灣的角色,有很多人希望希拉里·克林頓可以救台灣跟美國。從美國人的看法來說,希拉里·克林頓可能會讓民主黨贏,因為現在共和黨沒有有名的或確定的總統候選人。然後對於台灣人,很多在靠克林頓救台灣從中國,因為克林頓又說過話像他會支持台灣。但是要思考,克林頓當總統,美國對中國的外交比較激進對台灣的影響可能有負面影響,克林頓外交歷史是比較鷹派,所以不確定亞洲地區這樣會不會維持和諧,引起台灣和中國的衝突。也還不確定克林頓會不會當總統,他說的話也不代表克林頓當總統一下會怎麼做。

(Brian Hioe is a freelancer currently based in Taipei, he will be starting an M.A. in East Asian Languages and Culture at Columbia University in Fall 2014.)

August 21, 2014

久違的紅帽子

前陸委會副主委張顯耀「被請辭」事件,原本是一件揉合違反行政體系(由總統任命的副主委請辭,國安會秘書長知道,總統卻不知道)以及政治酬庸(將安排請辭後的張顯耀擔任國營事業董事長)的醜聞。但昨日調查局立案介入,並朝「外患罪」的方向偵辦後,讓久違的紅帽子又再度出現於政治鬥爭之中。

The Return of the “Red Hat”

The controversy following resignation of former Deputy Minister of the Mainland Affairs Council Chang Hsien-Yao originally appeared to be that it was a violation of administrative procedures that the National Security Council Secretary-General, King Pu-Tsu asked him to resign, rather than President Ma and a scandal of political patronage, in which it seemed Chang would take up a position as chairman of a state-owned enterprise after his resignation. However, yesterday, the Bureau of Investigation filed an intervention, stating that its investigation into the resignation would proceed in the direction of Chang having leaked state secrets to China and betrayed the country, leading to the reappearance of the so-called “Red Hat” in political struggles, that is, the use of accusations of “Red” loyalty.

August 22, 2014

【#冰桶挑戰 中的人性階級】

從美國波士頓開始橫跨全球各大城市,「冰桶挑戰」近日在媒體上引起了前所未有的關注。「冰桶挑戰」為美國漸凍人(ALS Association)發想的創意慈善捐款策略,參與者將裝滿冰水的水桶往自己頭上頭,或者捐款一百元美金到ALS協會,幫助神經退行性疾病,所謂「漸凍症」的醫療研究和患者福利。社商名流、好萊塢明星、運動家、各行各業的知名人士,包含前總統小布希,Facebook創辦人Mark Zuckerberg和微軟創辦人Bill Gates,到昨天引發社群網路熱烈轉載的亞洲影視明星金城武,一一響應此活動。不到一個月,ASL協會已接受了美金八百九十萬的捐款,顯示了這項募款策略的成功。

在最基本的層面上,大部份的民眾可以認同「冰桶挑戰」對於漸凍症這項罕見疾病帶來正向的關注和傳播,但在社群網絡上也開始有更多對於到底誰的「冰桶挑戰」更加的真實、更加道德、或者更值得大家的觀賞和轉載的辯論。例如,對於那些掌握政經權位的人,他們參與這項看似輕鬆無傷大雅的活動,其實帶來了公眾形象轉型的作用–他們變得更加親近、友善、甚至能塑照出幫助弱勢的慈善角色。而在同一時間,隱約地帶給了他們道德上的合理性,去持續他們非道德並且非正義的政治經濟運作。我們幾乎就要忘了,被冰水弄濕一身穿著休閒衫的小布希,是一個發動多次戰爭,並且在美國境內執行種族歧視排外政策的暴力領導者。

昨天,一名叫做Anthony Carbajal本身患有漸凍症的男性參與「冰桶挑戰」的影片被網友廣泛傳閱,從一開始像是搞笑的片段一直到後半段Carbajal泛著淚光闡述自己的家族病史,令許多網友感動並說這支影片如何是「最後一個非看不可的冰桶挑戰」。Carbajal的「冰桶挑戰」影片像是我們每一個人在等待的人性救贖:疾病的真實性和死亡的親近度,交織於帶著微笑和淚水的感性闡述。

無論是小布希、罹患疾病的小百姓Carbajal、或者是平易近人又特地使用冷氣水注重環保的大明星金城武,「冰桶挑戰」強大渲染力似乎代表著在全球各種災難、戰爭、和族群暴力之下,人們如何渴望去抓到一絲的人性。加薩、伊朗、美國佛格森–太多錯誤的、不正義的死亡。這些人的生命是否又值得我們的關注和#標簽,即使這些悲劇發生在以任何形式來說,都不會是輕鬆或有趣的,已經成為「日常」的生活之中?

「冰桶挑戰」不該讓我們將關注轉換到無傷大雅的夏日樂趣,應該讓我們去反思這個龐大的看似無形的媒體,在創造著什麼樣的人性是值得被一再地重複體驗,什麼樣的生命可以輕易成為一個沒有聲影的數據,默默地持續步入現況中的暴力、貧瘠、和苦痛。

The Hierarchy of Humanity in the #IceBucketChallenge

The Ice Bucket Challenge has reached unprecedented media coverage from Boston, US, across various global cities. Renounced celebrities, athletes, and many other public figures including George W. Bush and social media corporate leaders such as Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates all participated in the activity. This social media boom in less than a month has brought the ALS Association $8.6 million in donations.

While most people have agreed that this seemingly harmless activity has brought positive awareness to the rare disease, there have been more debates around whose Ice Bucket Challenge is more authentic, moral, or worthwhile to watch. For instance, for those Men in Power, their engagement with this seemingly light-hearted activity can actually help shape their public images to be more approachable and philanthropical, and at the same time bring them moral legitimacy to the political and economic practices that are ultimately UNETHICAL and UNJUST that their organizations are founded upon.

Yesterday, the video of a man named Anthony Carbajal with ALS took the challenge went viral. People commented how “this is the last Ice Bucket Challenge you must see,” as if this IS the humanity we have all been waiting for–the authenticity of the disease and the proximity of the threat of death, portrayed with a humanist lens of laughters and tears.

Whether the Ice Bucket Challenge is done by the war criminal Bush, the ASL patient Carbajal, or even Takeshi Kaneshiro, the famous Taiwanese celebrity who took on the Challenge with an environmental twist, the viral effects such activity seems to be an expression of how people are attempting to grasp any little sense of liberal humanity that is left while wars and disasters are happening all around the world–Gaza, Iran, and Ferguson–too many wrongful and wasteful deaths without answers. Is their humanity worth our attention or our hashtags? Even when these tragedies are occurring in the violent contexts that have been routinized and normalized, and are not light-hearted in any shape or form?

The Ice Bucket Challenge should not distract all our attention away to some harmless summer fun, but is an opportunity for us to reflect on how the media, this amorphous, powerful thing, is telling us what kind of humanity is worth to be experienced repeatedly, and what type of life can be reduced to soundless data, a number in the news that quietly and continually marches into the violence, poverty, and pains in our daily reality.

(Wen Liu is a doctoral candidate in Social Psychology at the Graduate Center, City University of New York. She is also a freelance writer on sexuality and politics in the US and Asia.)

August 25, 2014

不只是香港,澳門於8/24舉行民間公投爭取普選特首。公投的題目有二:第一條是「你是否贊成2019年澳門行政長官由普選產生?」,第二條是「你是否信任2014澳門行政長官選舉唯一候選人崔世安成為行政長官?」

會有第二條公投題目的原因是澳門將在8/31日舉行新一屆的特首選舉。雖說是”選舉”,但是候選人只有一個人-現任特首崔世安。而且投票的還不是全體澳門民眾,而是由400個委員組成的選舉委員會。

這場爭取普選特首的民間公投是由「澳門良心」、「澳門青年動力」與「開放澳門協會」三個團體主辦。讓市民在網上和五個實體投票站,表達由澳門民眾選任特首的意願。

雖然這場公投不意外的受到澳門官方和大陸駐澳門機構批評、也遭駭客入侵停擺網站,甚至活動主辦人被警方帶走。但是直至晚上十點,已經有3808人成功投票。

澳門民間公投網站:https://macau2014.org/

各國對澳門這次爭取特首普選公投的報導(轉載自Sut Leng Kam):

香港 Hong Kong
http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/realtime/news/20140824/52827995

台灣 Taiwan
http://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/breakingnews/1089046

韓國 South Korea
http://vip.mk.co.kr/news/view/21/21/2200611.html

泰國 Thailand
http://www.mcot.net/site/content?id=53f99328be047054478b4580#.U_oY08WSyFl

新加坡 Singapore
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/macau-starts-unofficial/1327546.html

英國 UK
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/trad/china/2014/08/140824_macau_civil_vote.shtml

葡萄牙 Portugal
http://www.dn.pt/inicio/globo/interior.aspx?content_id=4091458&seccao=%C1sia

法國 France
http://www.liberation.fr/monde/2014/08/24/macao-referendum-non-officiel-sur-la-democratie_1085869

德國 Germany
http://www.dw.de/demokratie-referendum-in-macao/a-17869623

澳洲 Australia
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/casino-hub-macau-holds-informal-poll-democracy-25100268

(郭凌峰 The last Wild Strawberry participator in Freedom Plaza, a researcher of consciousness, free will and schizophrenia at Taipei Veterans General Hospital, and an active anarchist in Nankan, Taiwan.)

August 27, 2014

Recent air defense scares this week provoke consideration of regional security. On Monday of this week, two Chinese Y-8 patrol aircrafts entered into Taiwanese airspace, provoking Taiwan’s to dispatch aircraft to shadow the Y-8s until they left Taiwanese airspace. While similar incidents have occurred in the past due to apparent pilot error, this would appear to be a probe or an attempt at intimidation. This comes after a “dangerous” intercept of a US surveillance plane by a Chinese fighter on August 19th which has led to a meeting of American and Chinese officials over airspace and other potential provocations, with America issuing a denunciation of China whereas in the past it has been willing to ascribe explanations of pilot error for the sake of maintaining diplomacy. On the other hand, China has responded with claims that the Chinese pilot behaved professionally and that ultimately, US surveillance in the region is at fault for being the cause of accidents and endanger both Chinese and American security.

禮拜一兩個中國戰鬥機飛進去台灣的空域中華民國空軍反應叫戰鬥機飛跟著中國戰鬥機飛到他們離開台灣的空域。以前因為飛行員的錯誤這種事又發現過,但是這次應該是故意的。八月十九號,中國戰鬥機飛太近跟美國的偵察機,好像為了恐嚇。以前,美國願意接受錯誤的理解,或是說只是錯誤,但是八月十九號這次有批判中國,中國跟美國的政官要開會討論,不過中國的回音是說是美國有偵察機在地區才會來自這種衝突。

(Brian Hioe is a freelancer currently based in Taipei, he will be starting an M.A. in East Asian Languages and Culture at Columbia University in Fall 2014.)

August 28, 2014

國防部於昨日舉行緬甸境內遠征軍迎靈典禮,將二戰期間於緬甸境內作戰陣亡的將士英靈迎回台灣入祀忠烈祠。

台灣由於歷史因素,二戰期間屬於日本領土,因此受日本徵召或志願加入而參與二戰卻不幸陣亡的台灣官兵英靈,是被迎入日本的靖國神社。但同時,靖國神社亦因為奉祀多位甲級戰犯的日本軍人,也讓參拜行為屢屢成為焦點,甚至引致非議。

同樣戰死異鄉,身後待遇卻差別很大。

Ministry of National Defense of Taiwan held a ceremony to worship the soldiers who died in Burma combat zone during World War II.

Because Taiwan belonged to Japan until the end of World War II, many Taiwanese people were called up or volunteered to become Japanese soldiers. Some of them were killed during the war and worshipped at Yasukuni Shrine in Japan. However, some Japanese class A war criminals were also worshipped at Yasukuni Shrine. As such, visit to Yasukuni Shrine often draws media attention or critiques.

They were all killed far away home, but have undergone different treatment after they died.

(Shane Hu 目前是全職的家庭主夫,旅居美國但關心台灣社會的不公不義)

August 29, 2014

【數位戰爭:美國、歐盟、俄羅斯、與烏克蘭】

美國聯邦調查局(FBI)報導摩根大通(JPMorgan Chase)和至少另外四家銀行的電腦作業系統被駭客入侵,由於駭客技巧的成熟度和規模之龐大,FBI正在進行調查是否有別國政府涉入的可能。這件駭客事件發生於美俄國際關係極度低糜之時刻,俄國軍隊持續入侵烏克蘭邊界,美國政府與歐盟對俄國繼續進行經濟上的制裁封鎖,美方因此不排除為俄國政府所為。

同一時間,烏克蘭外交部發起一項Twitter標簽運動,號招人民使用 #UkrainUnderAttack 和 #RussianInvadedUkraine 散播烏克蘭國境的戰事。美國與歐盟的外交官員也使用了 #Escalation 的Twitter標簽來指責俄國的軍隊入侵。

俄羅斯-烏克蘭的衝突充斥著複雜並矛盾的政治經濟歷史關係。烏克蘭境內支持與俄羅斯統一的群眾被反俄羅斯的政府視為分離者和恐怖分子,而上個冬天發生的反俄羅斯烏克蘭民眾起義,包含著一小部分極右派的民族主義人士。反俄羅斯的勢力希望烏克蘭能加入歐盟,以獲得數十億元的國家貸款方案,卻沒有顧慮到此項貸款將帶來歐盟新自由主義策略下將對於烏克蘭政府要求的經濟裁策。烏克蘭籍的左派思想家Volodymyr Ischchenko,認為這樣的民族革命有其危險和限制,假若新的政府無法整頓基層的民主制度,將會帶來更嚴重的經濟危機和加深階級分化,讓政治力量和國家資源落在少數領導者手上。

全球戰事仍無法停歇,並已進展到數位社群網路。小國小民與各大帝國力量的抗衡持續進行。

[The Digital Warfares: The US, EU, Russia, and Ukraine.]

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reported that JPMorgan Chase and at least four other US banks were invaded by hackers. Due to the sophistication and the scale of the cyber attacks, the FBI is investigating whether a governmental institution could have been involved in the action. The cyber attacks occurred during one of the lowest points between the US and Russia relations, as the Russian troops are massing onto the Ukrainian borders and the US and the EU continue to place financial sanctions on Russia. Therefore, Russia’s involvement in the cyber attacks was suspected.

At the same time, the Ukraine Foreign Ministry launched a social media campaign that urged people to use the #UkrainUnderAttack and #RussianInvadedUkraine hashtags to spread the invasion of Russian troops. The US and the EU diplomats also used #Escalation hashtag to condemn Russia’s warfare.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict involves complex and contradictory political economic relations and histories. The pro-Russia Ukrainians who advocate for the unification with Russia are treated as separatist terrorists by the Ukrainian government. On the other hand, the anti-Russian popular uprising that happened last winter, consists of a minority of right-wing nationalist group. The anti-Russian group hope to join the EU, and acquire a multi-billion loan package for the Ukrainian state. However, they are not as concerned with the kind of neoliberal austerity measures that would come with the loan package. The Ukraine leftist intellectual, Volodymyr Ischchenko, pointed out that such nationalist revolution has its limitations and dangers. If the new government was not able to transform the state to a true democratic system, Ukraine would be likely to dive deeper into its economic crisis and suffer from wider social inequality between the rich and the poor, in which the resources and political power would only be held in the hands of the elites and the oligarchs.

The global warfares have not ceased yet, and apparently gone to the digital media. The resistance of the people in small countries against various imperialist powers must continue.

(Wen Liu is a doctoral candidate in social psychology at the Graduate Center, City University of New York. She is also a freelance writer on sexuality and politics in the US and Asia.)